Glass-working machine



March 9 1926-." f 1,576,221

' F. J. RIPPL GLAss WORKING MACHINE Filed oct. 18, 1919 2 sheets-sheet 1Pij. 2.'.

.Z'AzyENTaR FBA'NDJE L7.' HIPPL,

Hrs Tr/:ENEL:

March 9 1926,

GLAS S WORKING MACHINE Filed oct. 18, 1919 2 sheets-sheet 2 IIIIPatented Marf.'91'92 6.

UNITED STATES i r if 1,576,221

PATENT OFFICE.-

FRANCIS J'. RIPPL, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO,` ASSIGNOR IO GENERAL ELECTRICCOM- PANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

@Lass-wom@ nacnmn Application Vileai' October 18, 1919. Serial No.331,660.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS J. RIPE., a citizen of the United States,residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga, State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Glass-Working Machines,of which the following isa specification.

shaping glass tubes and more particularly tubes of the character used inthe manufacture of incandescent lamps.

My invention is particularly adapted to the production of ther flaredtubes used* .1s

stems in electric incandescent lamps. 'Such flared'tubes have beenmadeby machinery but my invention provides a more compact machine which,in its more specific for-m, is completel automatic and is capable of amuch hig er rate of output than prior machines. Greater uniformity andquality of the product is also a feature of the machinecomprising myinvention. .Various other features and advantages will appear from thedescription which follows of a species thereof.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a machine comprised bymy invention; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same;

Fig. 3 is aside elevation of the same partially in section along theline 3-3 of Fig.

1; Fig. 4 isa side elevation of the indexing mechanism partiall insection on the sectin line 4--4 of i 2 for the sake of clearness; Fig. 5is a ront .elevation of the same; and-Fig. 6 is a diagram of the drivingears. y

Ieferrin to the drawings, the bed 10 carries a stan ard 11 which suports, as more' fully described hereinafter, t e main shaft 12 havingattached at one end the two gears 13 and 14, the gear 13 being drivenbythe gear 15 fastened to the pulley 16 and supported on the stud 17 ofthe standard 11. Thepulley 16 is driven -by means of a belt 18 by amotor (not shown). Gear 14 meshes with the gear 19 integral withthe gear20 and rotating on the stud 21 (see Fig. 6). The gear 20 meshes with theear 22- fastened to the shaft 23 (more y-de'scribed hereinafter) and thethe gear 24 on the tubular shaft 25 (more gear 22 meshes with fullydescribed hereinafter). Thus the rotubular shaft extension 26 of theface plate 4 27 and is separated therefrom by the bush- Y f ins Y28 and29 so as to permit theffree and My invention relates to machlnes for 1nshaft extension 26 has a bearing surface inv ependent rotation of eithershaft. The

the standard 11 .andthe face plate 27 has an 4 indexing plate 30fastened to its rear face by the machine screws 31. IThe conical sup`-port 32 is attached to the front of the face plate 27 by machine screws33 and carries on its conical surface the tube holders 34 l of whichthere are six in the present 1hachine. The tube holders 34 are somounted 'on the carrier or support 32 that glass tubes will feed throughthem by gravity. This construction permits a more compact may chine thancould otherwise be made.

Each holder 34 (Fig. 3) comprises a shell 35 having therein the twobush-ings 36 which furnish a bearing surface for the' chuck cylinder 37to which is fastened at the inner end a bevel gear 38 meshingl with abevel gear 39 Yattached to the inner `end of the main shaft 12. Atubular central portion 40 of the chuck sliding in the chuck cylinder 37has three wedges 41 attached to its outer end through the links 42. Thewedgeswork on a conical surface 43 in the outer end of the chuckcylinder 37 and are normally drawn inwardly by the action of the spring44 which rests u on lthe stop 45 fastened to the inside of tlie chuckcylinder 37 and presses against the collar 46 attached to the outside ofthe inneriend of the central portion 40. The -stop 45' by striking theshoulder on the outer end of the central portion limits its inwardmovement. The chuck is operated by the following described means.

The standard 47 (Figs. 1 and .3)

position A and whose end has a tubular ball thrust bearing 54 centeredwith the central ortion 40 on" the chuck and of suflicient ength thatwhen the rod 49 is depressed by for feeding the glass tube in position Aand the right arm 53 being used to release the ared glass tube inposition F. Glass tubing of the desired length is fed from the tubularfunnel 56 attached to the left arm (Fig. 1) over the opening 55 throughthe arm 53 and into the central portion 40 at the time the arm 53 isdepressed. The llength of tube extending from the end of the chuck isfixed or gaufred by the position of the bolt 57 (Fig. 1l) agalnstwhich'the end of the tube rests. The bolt 57 is carried in the standard58 attached to the bed 10 and is adjusted by screwing into or out of thestandard 58. The nut 59 on the bolt 57 serves to hold the bolt inosition when adjusted.

Slida ly held in the center of the standard 47 is the rod 60 (Fig. 1) towhose upper end is attached a T-shaped arm 61 which rotatably carries aroller 62 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) at each end ofthe short arms o f the T.Each roller rests u on one of the two arms53`and eliminates rictionbetween the arms 5-3 and the arm 61 when the rod 60 is drawn downward bythe action of the cam 63 (Fig. 3) on the roller 64 attached to the arm65 on the shaft 66 (Fi 1) having an arm 67 fastened thereto w ich isconnected to the rod throu h the link 68. The downward movement o therod 60 depresses the arms 53 which releases the chuck as previouslydescribed. The arms 53 are held .normally in an elevated position by theaction of the springs 69 one end of which is fastened to an arm 48 bythe screw 70 and the other end of the rod 49 by a pin 71. This causesthe arm tobe held against the cam 63, The cam 63 is fastened to theshaft 23 previously mentioned.

The face plate 27 (Fig. 5) is normally locked against rotationl by theinsertion in the notches 72 (of which there are six around the peripheryof the face plate 27) of a block 73 fastened to one arm of a crank74'pivoted at 75 to thestandard 11. A spring 76 heldin a support 77attached to the bed 10 bears against the head of the 4 and 5) fastenedon the front' end of the shaft 23 on the block 79 attached to the secondarm of the crank 74. i

The gear 24 (Fi 2 and 14)l driven as previously describe is fastenedtoone end of the tubular shaft 25 carried byan arm on the standard 11. Onthe other end of Lhe shaft 25 is fastened a collar 80 "to which isattached a disc 81. Through= the tubular shaft 25 and a second arm ofthe standard 11 passes the shaft 82 (Fi t which is fastened the cylinder83 aving .a square groove 84 intermediate of its faces in a portion ofwhich normally rests 'the tapered curved finger 85 of the crank 86 \(Fi5) which is pivoted at 87 on an arm o the standard 11. A key 88 (Fig.4.) having a shoulder 89 fits into a recess 90-of the cylinder 83. Thedisc 81 has a recess 91 in its Vface into which the end of `the key 88is forced during the operation of'indexing by the spring 92 carried in ahole 93 of the key and one end o f which bears against the key and theother against a-,plate 94 fastened to the cylinder 83. As thecylinder isrotated in the direction indicated by the arrows the shoulder 89 of thekeyy'slides up on the tapered curved. finger 85=and the end is withdrawnfrom the recess 91 in the disc 81 of the rotation of the cylinder andshaft 82 is stopped. At the a propriate time a cam 95 (Figs. 4 and 5)astened to the shaft 23 strikes the arm 96 of the crank 86 causing thefinger 85 to vbe withdrawn from the groove 84 of thecylinder 83, thuspermitting the key 88 to be forced into engagement with the recess 91ofthe rotating disc 81 to cause rotation of the shaft 82.- Av spring 97having one end fas-l tened to the bed 1 0 and the other to the arm 96causes the finger 85 of the crank to be' returned to the groove 84 assoon as the cam 95 has passed. On the inner end of the shaft 82 isfastened an arm 98 (Figs. 4 and 5) which engages by means of a roller 99attached thereto by the pin 100 a slot 101 of the indexing plate 30(previously mentioned). As the shaft 82 is rotated, as just described,the indexin plate 30 and attached parts are turne through an angle equalto the angle between two adjacent slots 101 of which there are six shownon ous positions as more fully described hereinafter.

At position B (Fig. 1), the end of the glass tube 102 is heated by theflame from the gas jet 103; at position C, it is further heated by thegas jet 104; at position D, intensive heating is effected by the as jets105 (shown in Fig. 2); and at position E, the tube is flared whileheated by the as jet 106 (Fig. 1) by a flaring tool 107 which los isshaped similar to 'a pointed blade so that tendsl to force the arm 108away from the standard 110 and toward the glass tubel102. This outwardmovement if comparatively small is adjusted by the position of the nut114, locked by the nut 115, on the rod 116 passing through the upper endof the standard 110 and pinned at 117 to the arm 108 so` that the nut114 rests against the shoulder 118 of the standard 110. The cam 119(Fig. 4) fastened to the shaft 23 through the roller 120 (Figs. 1 and 2)pinned at 121 to an arm of the crank 1 22, which is pivoted at 123 tothebearing standard 124 onthe base 10 and the end whose other arm pressesyat 125 (Fig. 1) against the upright arm 108, holds thepointed tool 107back against the pressure of s ring 111. The facey ofthe cam 119 is sucht at at the appropriate time the tool 107 is gradually permitted to moveor advance toward the revolving heated glass tube 102 to flare it andafter the tube is flared to quickly force backward or withdraw the tool107. The tube 102 is here shown as having been iared (position E, Fig.l). The limit of the outward movement ofthe tool 107 is determined bythe maximum difference in the levels of the'cam contour.

In position F, (Fig. 1), the flared tube 102 is permitted to coolslightly and is then dropped, by being released from the holder 34, on achute 126 which conducts it to a f suitable container.

In operation, glass tubes are placed in the tube holders. 34 at positionA, at positions B, C and D the tube is locally heated at the end whilebeing revolved in the tube holders.l at position E while still beingheated and revolved, the tube is flared by the tool 107 at position F,the tube is permitted to cool while still revolving and is then releasedfrom the holder to drop'on the chute 126 which places it in a suitablecontainer.

I have described a specific machine embodying my invention but it is tobe understood that various modifications thereof will readily suggestthemselves .to those skilled fresh tube.

gri ping said tube, means dis osedinthe pat of travel of said holder wereby tubes may .be fed to said holder, tube'heating and shaping meansdisposed in the path of travel of said holder, and means automaticallybrought into operation for periodically opening said gripping means tovdischarge a tube and for subsequently causing said gripping means toclose upon-a fresh tube.

In a machine for shaping glass tubes, the combination of a carrierrotatable in a substantially vertical plane, a rotatable holder mountedthereon having a passage therethrough disposed so as to allow a glasstube to" feed therethrough by gravity, and means for gripping said tube,means disposed in the path of travel of said holder whereby tubes may befed to said holder, tube heating and shaping means disposed in the pathof travel of said holder, and means automatically brought into operationfor periodically opening said gripping means yto discharge a tube andfor subsequently causingv said gripping means to close upon a sagetherethrough disposed so as to allow a glass tubeI to feed therethroughbg' gravity,

tu e

and m'eans for gripping sai means disposed inthe path of travel of saidholders whereby tubes may be fed to said holders, tube heating andshaping means disposed in the path of travel of said holders,.and meansautomatically broughty into operation for' periodically opening saidgripping means to discharge a tube and for subsequently causing saidgripping means to close upon a resh tube. l 4. In a machine for shapingglassy tubes, a rotatable carrier disposed in a substantially verticalplane and Ihaving thereon a series of holders each comprising a passagethrough which a glass tube may feed by gravity and means for grippingslaid tube, automatic means for opening said gripping means to receivesaid tube, automatic means for determining the length of tube projectingfrom each of said holders, a shaping tool mounted adjacentto the path oftravel of said tube ends and means whereby said tube is automaticallyand periodically reciprocated to enter each of` said tube ends insuccession to give it a desired form.

5. In a machine for shaping glass tubes, a rotatable carrier dis sed ina substantially vertical plane and lliving thereon a series of holderseach comprising a passage through which Va glass tube may feed bygravity and means for gripping said tube,

yautomatic means for opening said gripping means to receive said tube,automatic means for determining the length of tube projecting fromeachof said holders, a :Hare

tool for shaping said tubes mounted adjaycent to the patho travel ofsaid tube ends and :means whereby said tube is automatically anderiodically reciprocated to enter each of said'tube ends in successionto give it a desired form.

6. In a machine for shaping glass tubes, a rotatable carrier disposed ina substantially vertical planesand having thereon a series of holderseach comprising a passage through which a glass tube may feed by gravityand means for gripping said tube,

automatic/means for opening sald grlpping means to 4receive said tube,automatic means for determining the length of tube projecting from eachof said holders, a shaping tool mounted adjacent to the path of travelof said tube ends, means whereby said tube is automatically andperiodically reciprocated to 'enter each of said tube ends in successionto give it a desired `form, and means for subsequently discharging theshaped tube.

7 In a machine for shaping glass tubes,

r a rotatable carrier disposed in a substantially vertical plane'andhaving thereon .a series of holders Ieach comprising a assage throughwhich a glass tube may fpeed by gravity and means for gripping saidtube, automatic means for opening sald gripping means to receive saidtube, automatic means for determining the length of tube projecting fromeach of said holders, a horizontally disposed shaping tool mountedadjacent to the path of travel of said tube ends and means whereby saidtube is automatically and e-riodioally reciprocated to enter each ofsaid tube ends in succession to give it a desired form.

8. In a machine for Haring tubes, the combination with a spinning tool-andi a blow pipe for directing a iiame toward the operative position ofsaid tool, of a turret rotatable about a horizont-al axis and having aplurality of rotatable work holding chucks and adapted to presentaplurality1 of work pieces successively to the flame and to the tool. 'L

I9. In a 'machine for Haring tubes, the combinationwithV a spinning tooland a blow pipe for directing. the flame toward the operative positionof said tool, of a turret having a pluralityv of work holders rotatablymounted thereon and adapted to present a pluralit of work piecessuccessively .to the flame' an to the tool, and a single shaft forsimultaneously rotating said Work holders.

10. In a machine for flaring tubes, a carrier, a plurality of rotatabletube holders, i

means for simultaneously rotating said tube holders, means for heatingthe tubes and f means for aring said tubes while heated..

11.In a machine for flaring tubes, a carrier, means for advancing saidcarrier stepby-step, a-plurality oftube holders, means for rotating saidtube holders, means' for heating said tubes,-means for flaring 'saidtubes while heated, said meanscomprising a flaring tool, means foradvancing said` tool toward said heated glass tube and means forwithdrawing said tool from said heated glass tube. 12. In a machine forflaring tubes, a

shaft, a carrier, a lurality of work holders a FRANCIS J. RIPPL.

